by Juno Wells
None of the hardship was evident on his face tonight though and that made it a perfect evening. Timric spoke quietly from nearby. “Are you pleased that the evaluations are finished, Queen Stacy?”
“I’m very relieved, and I couldn’t have done it without you and Phan.”
The younger warrior blushed. “I was happy to be of help.”
Meric spoke up. “You must be exhausted after the toil of the last few days, my queen. Are you looking forward to another restful night of sleep?”
Stacy shot him a smile. “As a matter of fact, I am looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep.”
Meric was a man who had sublimated his assertiveness with women for far too long. Now that he was being more open, it seemed to take some of the pressure off. He was no longer the uptight formal captain she’d first met. Sure, there was a hint of his former stiff personality locked just below the surface and there probably always would be, but he seemed happier and more well-adjusted. It made her wonder if human women had really underestimated what the Draconian men had suffered at the hands of their former queens and their symbionts.
After dinner, Meric tucked his kids in while Rheric and she sat in their lounge talking. He seemed particularly pleased with himself. Why shouldn’t he be? She was courting his son and soon his grandchildren would have another parent. He was probably feeling better than ever for having the aneurism repaired.
He handed her a tiny metal cup of warm liquid. “I took your good advice and spoke with Salon about taking a queen together.”
“How did that go over?”
“He was confused until I explained the part about elder queens needing more support. He agreed that it would be best if we lured a queen together.”
“I was scanning through our crew manifest and couldn’t help but notice we have an elder queen on the Raspian. She wasn’t part of the Intergalactic Bride’s Registry but was returning to Earth after the loss of her spouse. I discovered that she’d been unable to find work on the colony and was left with few options besides returning to live with extended family on Earth.”
“That’s an unfortunate part of the life of an elder. We lose those close to us and must find a way carry on.”
“I’ll bet she could use some support about now. I was thinking of asking if she wanted to work with me in the medical unit. She has experience as a medic from being in the military back on Earth. It’s been a long while, but if she’s willing to acquire new skills I believe she could be a real asset.”
Rheric gave me a knowing smile. “It would also put her in close proximity with a pair of elder warriors hoping to finding a mate.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to meet her and see if there is mutual interest. I believe she might like a stable job regardless of whether romance sparks.”
“Salon and I are always open to enjoying new platonic friendships.”
“I’ll speak with her tomorrow. Perhaps when she arrives, you could give her a tour of the ship.”
“I think that can be arranged. Are we meddling? I believe that’s the human word for it.”
Stacy laughed. “Maybe, but she can always decline your invitation or mine. So we aren’t too far out of bounds.”
Rheric sighed. “And on a more serious note, an elder queen should not be left without support, especially out in the black of space. She needs a warrior to take her under his wing, for protection if not for mating.”
“I can’t disagree with that statement. We’ve faced more danger than I anticipated every step of the way on this mission.”
“Between you and my capable son, I believe we will return home victorious.”
“Did Meric talk to you about what our stowaway reported?”
“My son tells me everything.”
Feeling her face heat, Stacy cringed. “Gee, I hope that’s not true.”
“Have no fear. His relationship with his queen is the one thing he keeps close to his chest. Among the Draconians, we do not discuss personal information related to our queens, even with those dearest to us.”
Somewhat relieved, Stacy teased, “I guess I won’t be getting any juicy gossip about the elder woman we discussed.”
“I should say not. Salon and I are honorable warriors.” His expression turned serious. “I was much disturbed by the description the male stowaway gave of the queen he saw the Moltan take onboard their ship. If she has forsworn taking a humanoid form, she could conceivably survive forever in the environment he described, for it is the one all of her kind were first spawned from.”
“I am more concerned that they have bought or stolen the symbiont. The Moltan are a devious, deceitful, and malevolent species. My mind is spinning thinking about all the horrible things they could do with a symbiont that can infect so many with so little effort.”
The man shot up in his seat. “By the Gods, it never occurred to me to think along those lines. We are used to thinking of the symbionts as having agency to act for themselves. I didn’t consider that maybe this one is being exploited by another.”
“None of that explains how the symbiont came to be in this sector of space. This is the other part that worries me. Others may enter the same way. This sector of space would be overrun quickly.”
~ Meric ~
Meanwhile, the good captain was putting his little ones to sleep. Nipi and Kipi shared a bed because they were close and very young. Nipi rubbed his eyes while his twin complained. “Why does everything have to change?”
Meric pressed his little one gently back into the crescent shaped dip in the bedding that allowed him to sleep comfortable without crushing his still developing wings. “Change is difficult when you are young. As you grow, you will learn to love new experiences and opportunities.”
Nipi yawned. “Will the pretty queen come to our aviary again?”
It was difficult to explain to his little ones that they didn’t live in an aviary when they were on the ship. For Draconians, aviaries were homes built high in the tree tops. The Clade of Rheric had a very spacious one on Dracon Two. However, his young called every home an aviary. “She may even come to live with us, or we might live with her. Would you like that?”
“I like her smile.”
“So do I, but now it’s time to go to sleep.”
Kipi was the more stubborn of the two. “I don’t want to sleep.”
“Everyone is going to sleep now. You don’t want to be up all alone, do you?”
“I want to play wing glider, not sleep.”
“I’ll tell you a secret. Little scion never want to sleep, but the sooner you force yourself to quiet, the sooner you will sleep and wake again. You won’t feel the passage of time while you slumber. You fall asleep one moment and wake the next.”
Kipi nodded and cuddled his blanket up to his chin, twisting it slightly in his hands. Meric dimmed the light and walked to the other side of the room to check on little Tabori. He’d rocked him to sleep on his shoulder before putting the twins down because he wasn’t patient enough to wait his turn. His hatchling seemed to be resting peacefully, so he slipped out the door, leaving it cracked a bit.
His next stop was Timric’s room. Naturally, Meric didn’t put him to bed as he was almost a full-grown warrior. However, he did like to stop and tell him goodnight. He was sharpening one of his blades with a stone, like their primitive ancestors did. It was one of the ways they honored their traditions. Meric took a seat near him and gave his scion a chance to speak first. Whatever subject he chose was the conversation they had each night. It was a way to give the young warrior some control over his day.
To say he was proud of his scion would be an understatement. Seeing him sitting there with his horns up and his wings hanging out loose behind him as he worked his blade made Meric’s heart swell with pride. Knowing that his golden hair would likely garner him the attention of human queens when he was older made something loosen in his chest. Meric’s deepest darkest fear was his scion being claimed by Draconian queens. For a long time, it had se
emed there was no way to avoid that fate. Then they got the slim opportunity to jump through the wormhole, and everything changed for the better.
“Are you mating our queen?”
“I suspected you were going to ask that.”
“You have never brought a queen to our home. That tells me she is different from all the other queens.”
“It is my wish to be selected as her mate.”
“You put your hands on her in the medical unit today and pulled her towards you. This is not what you taught me about luring a queen.”
“What you say is true. When teaching you about how our world worked, I cautioned you to avoid the eyes of a queen, for it brings pain and death. The symbionts made our queens dangerous. They have forced warriors to submit to their will. To do otherwise was met with swift punishment. The human queens are much different. They expect their warriors to actively demonstrate interest before they initiate courting and respond favorably when we assert ourselves. Human queens are physically weak. Therefore they revel in the strength of their warriors. If I had offended her, she would have let me know.”
“I can still remember our old queen. I tried not to be frightened of her, but I was terrified of her. Does that make me an unfit warrior?”
“Not at all. I tried to keep you from her sight, but she insisted upon seeing you once every solar. That you were frightened tells me you have good instincts for danger. Warriors are not thought to experience such emotions, but I think all people do. The challenge is to quell your fear and do what must be done.”
“You should accompany her to her quarters tonight.”
Meric’s head shot up at his scion’s bold words. Timric keep sharpening his blade without looking up. “Your mating scent rises when she is near. It offends my nose.”
Meric chuckled. “Such will be the same with you when you take your mate.”
“Not for many solars, I hope.”
Coming to his feet, Meric stepped back. “You have much time to fill and many duties to learn before you take on the responsibility of a mate and young. Enjoy your freedom. It will make joining your life to a queen’s that much more enjoyable when it happens.”
“Good luck taking the human queen under your wing, my sire.”
He stepped out of Timric’s room, closed the door behind him, and headed back to his sitting room. Seeing his young off to bed was a pleasure Meric never missed unless he was on active duty on the bridge. Something about knowing they were safely tucked in allowed him to truly relax. Upon approaching the sitting area, he heard his father and his queen talking amiably with each other. She was sweet and supportive of his sire, making him ashamed that he had ever doubted her. He sent a fervent prayer to Entares to grant him the honor of being selected as her mate.
24 The Taste of Blood
Stacy
Meric’s soft wing draped around the side of her body as they walked felt nice, warm, and protective. Stacy thought she could get used to being under his wing. He was starting to smell nice again. She’d read up on mating scents for the breeder class in the Draconian database and learned that it only diminishes after having sex. Near as she could tell, Draconian males had a mating cycle that was initiated by having a willing partner. They phrased it as having a queen who opened herself to him. She couldn’t get clarification on that but suspected it meant being touched by a woman. If not, every man on the ship would be scenting because they were around women off and on all day long. Meric’s voice drew her from her from her thoughts.
“Did you enjoy speaking with my sire this evening, my queen?”
“I did, he’s sweet and has good conversational skills. Did your little ones freak out because I was in their personal space?”
“If so it was because they aren’t used to being in the presence of a queen. They thought you had a pretty smile.”
“That’s really cute. You’ve got some adorable children.”
“I’m pleased you think so. It would have been awkward if you didn’t warm to them.”
“It’s hard not to like a child. I would imagine your bigger problem will be getting them to like the total stranger who’s trying to mate their dad.”
“I like to hear you say you wish to mate with me.”
They scanned the door open and entered her quarters as she responded. “I’ve heard that I’m not the first human woman who’s taken a liking to you. Phan tells me that you’ve been tested by a human queen and not been found lacking. She must have offered herself to you, cause I can’t imagine that going down any other way.”
Meric sat down on the settee beside her, with a groan. Reaching for her, he responded irritably. “Warriors truly have no privacy. I did have intimacies with a human queen who stated she just wanted to know what sex was like with a Draconian. When we were finished, she asked me for a true mating.”
“Wow, she must have been impressed with you. I’m assuming you didn’t take her up on that offer.”
“I do not wish to imply the queen was anything less than perfect, but my auditory system could not tolerate the pitch of her voice.”
“You mean in general or when having sex?”
“Her voice was high-pitched when she spoke in general. It made my head hurt.”
“Then you had that I-don’t-trust-queens thing going on as well, right?”
Nodding, he looked embarrassed. “Strangely enough, you are correct. It did assuage my curiosity about how pleasurable a human queen would be. Though I enjoyed it immensely, I could not bring myself to overcome my loathing for queens enough to accept her. “That did not happen for me until I had spent a considerable amount of time around you and had to finally admit to myself that you are as trustworthy as you first seemed.”
“That makes me sad to hear. Didn’t she try to understand your reluctance? She should have backed off when you said no.”
“Telling me the sex was just for one time, then afterwards trying to lay claim to me was horrifying enough, but she also pursued me relentlessly until I lifted off from Dracon Two. It reinforced my belief that all queens were manipulative.”
“You’re a hot guy with a winning personality but stalking someone like that is strange behavior for a human.”
“In order to command this vessel, I had to defeat every other warrior who wished the privilege. There were many because captaining a warship is a coveted position among our people. A small group of human queens came to watch us challenge each other for the title of captain. I believe she was impressed with my skill in battle.”
“I suppose that makes sense. Some women are attracted to strong men. Your battle skills are pretty impressive.”
Peering down at her, his lips curved into a sly smile. “I would urge to you to sample all my many skills before you decide which is most impressive.”
“Well, I’m glad you got over your angst about women. You’re too amazing to isolate yourself that way. Everyone needs love, handsome, even you.”
“Are you offering me your love, my queen?”
“It depends, are you looking for love?”
“I would have to say yes to that question.” Pulling her closer, he ran the side of his face over hers. It felt nice and intimate.
“I like it better when you take the initiative.”
“Is that true?”
“I’ll probably do a little power grab every now and then just for funsies, so don’t think I’m handing over all my control to you or anything like that.”
“I do not know what funsies are, but I accept your terms.” His voice was so serious it took her by surprise.
Looking him over, Stacy decided it was now or never. Who knew what tomorrow held in store for them? They might be killed in battle with the Moltan. Or her hot captain might change his mind about their being together again. If she had anything to say about it, he was going to be so pleased with her tonight that he’d decide she was a keeper. Nodding, she bolted off the settee shouting over her shoulder, “First person to reach the sleeping platform gets to pick
the position!”
Even with her head start, she was no match for Meric. He moved so fast that all she saw was a blur. She felt a tickling sensation as his soft wing grazed over her skin as he sped past. It gave her goose bumps and made something in her belly squirm. Ignoring it, she put on a burst of speed in a vain attempt to catch up. It didn’t matter, because he was just too fast. He landed on the bed and she crashed right into him, laughing and happy.
Seemingly without effort, he rolled her underneath his huge body. She couldn’t help but admire his bulk and the heated look on his face. His horns were heaving, and his wings had drawn up and out, making him look like a golden-haired angel.
“You are not panicking.”
His strange question caught her off guard. She smoothed her hands up his chest and pried the magnetic seal on his uniform open to reveal miles of taut muscles.
“Why would I be panicking?”
“Why indeed? Perhaps because you have nearly three hundred scales of aroused male pinning you down on a sleeping platform.”
“You won, so you get to pick the position.”
The intense expression on his face only made him sexier, in her humble opinion.
When he spoke, the words came out breathless and excited. “I will take you face-to-face. After that you can breed me however you wish.”
Grinning at him, Stacy began pulling his uniform back off his shoulders. “So we’re preplanning back-to-back. That’s damned exciting.”
“Not back-to-back. I wish to have you facing me, front-to-front.”
“That not what I meant. We have sex, and then have sex again, right?”
“Yes. And then I will have you again and again until you are too weak to take my cock again.”
Her hands went to her own uniform as he finished removing his. “So you think you can outlast me? That is not going to happen, mister. I have stamina.”
Snorting a laugh, he shook his head. “Though you are strong and beautiful, you do not have the stamina of a warrior.”
